Improvement in excavators



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THE GRAPHIC C0,PHOTOL 1.39 8:4! PARK PLACEJLY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN VISDOM GONOE, OF JACKSON COUNTY, ALABAMA.

IMPROVEMENT iN ExcAi/AToRs.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 164,829, dated June 22,1875; application filed To all whom it may concern:

bama, have invented certain new and useful' Improvements in Ditching andExcavating Machines, and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specilcation.

Figure l is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a top view. Fig. 3 is atransverse vertical section through a plane indicated by the line .fr inFigs. l and 2; and Fig. 4t is a view ofthe slip with its rollers andtilting-board, which forms part of my machine.

' Similar letters ofreference indicate corresponding parts in all thegures.

My improvementv relates to that class of ditching or excavating machinesin which the dirt is removed from the plow and deposited on the banks ofthe excavation by an elevator operated by the drive-wheels of themachine; and it consists in the arrangement Aand combination of thevarious parts, as hereinafter more fully set forth and pointed out intheclaims.

A is the laxle, which is bent upward, as shown in Fig. 3. B B are thewheels, one ot' which, B, has a concentric inverted gearwheel, b, thatengages with a pinion, c, by which the shaft c and friction-wheel pulleyl are operated. The frame consists of two main parts, one extendingforward, and the other backward, of the axle, and both rigidly securedthereto. rI he forwardpart consists of two converging arms, O, ii'votedto the sides of which are two other diergi'ngoutside arms or shafts, Oto `which -the pole and whii'lietree are attached at t'. Back ofthe axleextend two beams, D, to the ends of which a crossbeam, E, carrying theslip F, is secured adjnstably. This adjustability is effected by aseries of holes, 7c k k, in the beams D, and corresponding holes made inthe depressions Z of y the cross-beam E, (see Fig. 4,) in which thebeams D slide, so that the cross-beam E and slip F may be advanced orreceded, and se- March 1, 1875.

cured in any given position by the holes 7c, and suitable pins, bolts,or set-screws. rllhe crossbeam E has rollers Gr to carry the weight ot'that part of the machine, and relieve the strain from the necks ot' thehorses. The slip or dirt-board F consists of two boards, converging atthe top, and having raised sides, so as to form gutters or chutes forthe dirt after it leaves the elevator. Upon the top ridge is hinged (insuch a manner that it may be removed at will) a tilting-board, F',which, by means of hooks and braces, maybe secured in either oi' thepositions shown in Fig. 4, so as to throw all the excavated dirt to oneside of the ditch only. Within the frame Gis the plow El with itsattachments. The plow does not differ materially from the plows orcutters usually employed in this class of machines, it having the shapeof two plows joined together, with the mold-boards facing each other.The plow is rigidly secured' to, and between, two oblique standards, il,and these are secured to beams -Khwhich pass under the top of the axleA, and converge in front at 7c. At the converging point they are pivotedto a short double arm, L which clasps a vertical rack, l, and withinwhich (between the two sides composing the armL) there is a pinion andsprin gpawl, (not shown in the drawing,) so that the arm L, and with itthe beams K, may be secured in" any given position, high or low, uponthe ratchet l by operating the lever M. In this manner the standards Iand plow H may be adjusted while the machine is in motion.

In order further to Jfacilitate raising or loweringof the plow andelevator, there is a crossbeam, m,\between the two beams K and justunder the topof the axle A. To this is secured a Vchain or rope, whichpasses upward and around a shaft, a, which has its bearings in theupward-projecting arms of the axle A. One of these bearin gs a has asliding boxing, so that the shaft n may be moved up or down in it. Uponthe other side of the axle, on the projecting end of the shaft, is afriction-pulley, e, which, by raising the lever N, is thrown into gearwith the frictionsurface of the pulley d, already described.

By this combination, when the machine is in motion and the lever N israised, the pulley e and shaft n will revolve, winding up the chain p,and thus hoisting' up the beams K, standards I, and plow H. The latteris retained in its position by a ratchet, O, pivoted to the back oftheplow, and engaging with a rod, o', secured between the beams D, alreadydescribed.

P denotes colters, each formed by a sharpedged circular disk, pivotedupon arms p that are secured upon the beams K, and project downwardinfront ot' the plow, one on each.

side. The position of these coltersis inclined, so that they will notonly help to cut, but also slope and shape the sides of the ditch.

When the machine is not at work the plow and elevator may be raised byturning the crank q, by which the shaft n and chain o are operated. n

The/elevator Q consists of an inclined chute, provided with au endlesschain, r, carrying the Scrapers R. -The bottom of the chute or opentrough Q is inserted between the standards I and pushed well down overthe plow, so that the scrapers R may readily reach and remove the dirtas it is loosened by the plow.

The endless chain is operated by a drum at each end of the chute in theusual manner, the top one of which is made to rotate by a pulley, f, andendless band g, which latter is operated by passing around a groove onthe inside ot' the friction-pulley d. g is a bandtightener, consistingof two pulleys inserted,

one above the other, in a forked arm, and secured, by a spiral spring,g", to one of the holes in the beam D, so that the band g will be taut,and operate the pulley f and endless chain r without regard to the pitchgiven .to the plow and elevator. The latter is secured and its pitchadjusted by movable arms S hinged at s, and provided with holes t t t,so that they may be adjustably secured tothe sides of the standards I,as shown. l,

The whole machine is suitably braced, to afford the requisite strengthand rigidity to the various parts thereof; and a seat for the -driver isattached to the top of the axle.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent- 1. The combination ot' the bent aXle A, frame C, rack l,arm L, plow-beams K, standards I, and plow H, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

2. The combination ot' the bent axle A, having the bearings a a', shat'ta, crank q, frictionpulley e, and lever N, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereuntoaffixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN WISDOM GONCE. Witnesses:

W. H. BoGART, J. L. BLAKE.

